This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The Center views the activities of the core facilities to be central to the success of its scientific and human resource development goals. The main objectives are to maintain the activity of the Core Biology Facility and establish a state-of-the-art Core Synthetic Facility that will impact research at NDSU and beyond. These facilities will provide training for researchers, consultation in experimental design, and function as a resource for equipment. The qualified personnel in these core facilities will assist junior investigators and will also play a key role in assisting other NDSU researchers and faculty in the state of North Dakota. The Core Biology Facility was established in 2003. It is comprised of three components: Tissue Culture, Molecular Biology, and Bioassays, and offers training and use of equipment and reagents to researchers. Additionally, the lab is staffed with personnel to perform routine bioassays and in vitro biological assays. The facility routinely performs the essential testing for the efficacy of the MMP and HDAC inhibitors designed by the original COBRE investigators. The establishment of a Synthetic core is intended to aid all biomedical researchers by providing small organic molecules for research tools and to increase the throughput of current drug discovery endeavors in the Center. A facility that can provide rapid and parallel synthesis of many analogs of a lead compound is crucial for understanding structure activity relationships and developing new directions.